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ashaw1
18-Mar-08, 16:24
I noticed today that the old Toymaster shop in Wick is to be yet another charity shop. Was really hoping for something a little more usefull. I know these shops do a lot of good work but is there not already enough of this type of shop here.

newpark
18-Mar-08, 16:32
Yeah, Homeaid are opening on 1st April in the old Toy Master as they are running out of space in Thurso.

cd1977
18-Mar-08, 16:39
This is a sign of the times. The country is really suffering economically and there is a lot more volatility on the horizon.

Retailers are feeling the pinch, and will continue to do so for some time.

It's about time the spend, spend, spend culture was reined in a bit.

Amy-Winehouse
18-Mar-08, 16:43
Well we must be spoiled for choice in Wick town centre now then, How many charrideee shops are in it now?
I shop online these days as its cheaper & more reliable- 95% of the time

rob16d
18-Mar-08, 16:44
Homeaid have helped me a LOT since I moved into my own place.

People in Wick have access to Homeaid as they do deliveries with their van, but perhaps having a Wick branch would be a good thing.

What would everyone else have liked to have seen in place of Toymaster?

justine
18-Mar-08, 16:45
well the saying is you can never have enough charity.....shops...plenty of people use them, myself included...but i have to agree that we could ahve used a mothercare or even a good music shop, moblie phone shop, there are plenty of choises, but they have rent to think about.....oh well will look in when i get a chance....

rob16d
18-Mar-08, 16:48
well the saying is you can never have enough charity.....shops...plenty of people use them, myself included...but i have to agree that we could ahve used a mothercare or even a good music shop, moblie phone shop, there are plenty of choises, but they have rent to think about.....oh well will look in when i get a chance....

Yeah I thought a music shop would be good since the old one shut down. Would be popular with all the teenagers AND the adults.

Well there's not much we can do about it now, so we'll just have to see if it helps many people in Wick - which I sincerely hope it does!

ashaw1
18-Mar-08, 16:50
Homeaid have helped me a LOT since I moved into my own place.

People in Wick have access to Homeaid as they do deliveries with their van, but perhaps having a Wick branch would be a good thing.

What would everyone else have liked to have seen in place of Toymaster?
I'm not saying that they don't do a lot of good work for people but something different would have been nice. I know the rents on the shops here are really high and that doesn't help but unfortunately it doesn't give much variety either with the few shops that are here!

Flair
18-Mar-08, 16:51
What would everyone else have liked to have seen in place of Toymaster?

Well, to me there was nothing wrong with the way it was.

I don't know, I'm not a shopper. I go into a shop for what I want, I find it, buy it and then leave.

Poultney lad
18-Mar-08, 17:04
At least it is not standing vacant ,does anybody know who,s going into the old boots across from toymaster??

nikki
18-Mar-08, 17:30
Yeah I thought a music shop would be good since the old one shut down.

Only problem with that is the old one shut down because they weren't making money. There is a new music shop in Thurso now, went there for some guitar strings, wont be going back. WAY overpriced. I'm going online next time.

Mclaren
18-Mar-08, 17:41
The thing is charity shops don’t have to pay the extortionate business rates like real businesses do. They are also staffed with volunteers so no theres no wages going back into the community either.

unicorn
18-Mar-08, 19:00
If the rent is high then how can a charity shop afford 2 shops? Is the profit margin so high in charity shops?

henry20
18-Mar-08, 19:06
not sure about rent prices, but I know that rates are totally different for charity shops - I'm pretty sure they don't pay any or if they do, its marginal compared to a shop. Also, as stated, most are 'manned' by volunteers, so there are no wages to consider.

dirdyweeker
18-Mar-08, 19:08
At least it is not standing vacant ,does anybody know who,s going into the old boots across from toymaster??

this has been occupied for some time now by a company from Castletown I believe. Am sure it is to do with log cabins. They have already spent a fair bit of money (£20.000) renovating the property. At least that was what was reported in the 'Groat' recently.

Kevin Milkins
18-Mar-08, 19:19
I have lived in many places in the country and they all have one thing in common, as soon as the big outlets IE Tesco, Homebase, Newlook, Lidl,ETC
move on to the outskirts of town the small indipentant stores can not compete with the rates and running costs of being in town. You end up with plenty of charity shops and fast food outlets.

Julia
18-Mar-08, 20:23
I don't mind another charity shop, the Hospice doesn't have that much, the cancer shop is too pricey and Blythswood is probably the best. Only been in the one in Thurso once and I was very impressed at how cheap it was albeit the place was a shambles.

anneoctober
18-Mar-08, 21:13
Homeaid have helped me a LOT since I moved into my own place.

People in Wick have access to Homeaid as they do deliveries with their van, but perhaps having a Wick branch would be a good thing.

What would everyone else have liked to have seen in place of Toymaster?
A craft shop ! One with stuff for kids, tissue paper, coloured card, pens/pencils/crayons/marker pens for different materials ie porcelain, fabric. Plastic play aprons, stensils, templates of animals etc. stickers, feathers,sequins, glue, paint, suncatcher kits, dressing up outfits ( nurses unform/police /fire brigade) felt toys or purses to make etc etc................
Do you think this is a good idea Rob? Stop our bairns from being couch potatoes?! :lol:

Fran
19-Mar-08, 03:27
I am all for charit y shops, but as they pay no rates because they sell second hand goods they should not be allowed to sell new items that are made especially for them and placed in the front window, as in one wick shop. also, how can one shop afford a lift, and i know of two others who use portable warm air heaters which cost a fortune on electricity to run!!!

Moonboots
19-Mar-08, 13:50
but as they pay no rates

Thats True Fran,

Thats why we get all charity shops because retail shops are unable to afford the rates that the council has given them.
It is alot of money for a shop that isnt making muxch trade and this is what the council should be looking at as they are getting no money from charity shops apart from Rent so why not cut the rates and then some shops will survive.

quirbal
19-Mar-08, 18:45
Now we will have 5 charity shops in the town centre. Anyone else think that this is far too many?

Fran
20-Mar-08, 02:33
Where are the five? We only have cancer shop, hospice shop, blythswood snd now Homeaid. Maybe you mean thurso....red cross, cancer, hospice, homeaid.

hotrod4
20-Mar-08, 07:29
WAY too many charity shops.
What is happening with the "re-generation" of Wick town centre that the councillors are always on about?
More should be done to attract new business' and maybe subsidies on Rates etc would certainly help?

Why dont CASE (or whatever they are called now!) invest back into Wick and Thurso centres? all they ever seem to do now is small investments that dont really benefit the Wider community.

katarina
20-Mar-08, 13:23
WAY too many charity shops.
What is happening with the "re-generation" of Wick town centre that the councillors are always on about?
More should be done to attract new business' and maybe subsidies on Rates etc would certainly help?

Why dont CASE (or whatever they are called now!) invest back into Wick and Thurso centres? all they ever seem to do now is small investments that dont really benefit the Wider community.

I agree. I'm sure reducing the rates would help small businesses survive if not attract new businesses.

ashaw1
20-Mar-08, 14:11
I agree. I'm sure reducing the rates would help small businesses survive if not attract new businesses.
To be honest this only seems to be part of the problem. It seems that some of the local landlords have a lot to answer for too. Rents in general for the shops are soaring as the regeneration of Wick is becoming more and more apparent. Everyone is out for a fast buck, especially in the property market and it is very difficult to find small affordable shops that a small business can afford. I know i am experiencing this problem right now.

rfr10
20-Mar-08, 17:10
Don't complain Wicks been taken over by Tesco because it's charity shops taking it over.

I notice the coop are still complaining about Tesco being built as I was at Inverness yesterday in the chamber to read that they were once again taking action.

Anyway.. more charity shops means more shops for the mother! :Razz

scorrie
20-Mar-08, 17:35
Don't complain Wicks been taken over by Tesco because it's charity shops taking it over.



Back to school young man.

Average
20-Mar-08, 18:40
Is there not a risk in Wick of giving something to a charity shop then seeing someone in the street or in Carters or The Waterfront wearing it on a night out?

rfr10
20-Mar-08, 19:23
Back to school young man.

Why's that? Because of what I said or because I'd missed out some punctuation because I was rushing? :)

scorrie
20-Mar-08, 21:16
Why's that? Because of what I said or because I'd missed out some punctuation because I was rushing? :)

No, it is simply that your statement makes no sense and you need to learn more about retail.

balto
20-Mar-08, 21:38
Yeah, Homeaid are opening on 1st April in the old Toy Master as they are running out of space in Thurso.
mayby they should stop taking in junk then they would have plenty of room
[lol][lol]